Apocynaceae

a family with both Cardiac glycosides and complex Indole alkaloids.

Cardiac glycosides are triterpenoid glycosides similar to saponins in forming emulsions in water and a definite effect on the heart mostly promoting heart beats.

And thus all thse palnts are used as cardiotonics.

The indole alkaloids.

The alkaloids here are special indole alkaloids combined with a monoterpene and thus are known as terpenoid alkaloids also.

Both these groups of compounds are seen in related Asclepiadaceae and Rubiaceae.

A. Medicinal plants

1. Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) Baramasi, Vinca, Periwinkle)

More than 110 indole alkaloids have been reported from the plant.

But the more important are the 20 indole-indoline dimeric alkaloids such as vinblastine (vincaleukoblastine, VLB), vincristine (leurocristine, vincaleurocristine, VCR) are mainly present in aerial parts.

Other diimeric alkaloids present are vincarodine, vincoline, leurocolombine, vinamidine, vincathicine,vincubine and isositsirikine.

Roots are the main source of alkaloids where the alkaloids amountsto 0.13%. Ajmalicine (raubasine) serpentine and reserpine (the principal alkaloids of Rauwolfia)are the main alkaloids here wherein their concentration exceeds that of Rauwolfia. Vincristine, vinblastine, leurosidine and leurosine are oncolytic alkaloids effective against leukemia cells.

They are also used against Hodgkin’s disease, Wilm’s tumour, neuroblastoma etc.

The total alkaloids showed significant sedative and hypotensive action and cause relaxant and antispasmodic effect on smooth muscles and uterus.

The alkaloid mixture is found to be hypoglycemic.

The whole plant exhibits antimicrobial activity also.

2. Carissa carandas Linn. (Karaunda, Christ’s thorn).

This is a small laticiferous tree with dichotomous branches armed with simple or forked pair of thorns at the origin of branches, a native of South Asia, grown for edible fruits.

The roots contain cardiac glycosides based on odoroside H and terpenoids such as carissone, carindone, carinol and related compounds.

The fruits are rich sources of Vit. C and yield carissol (an epimer of α-amyrin), lupeol, β-sitosterol and organic acids like oxalic, tartaric and citric acids.

Roots are cardiotonic, anthelmintic and effect a prolonged blood pressure lowering effect.

The leaves are recommended in intermittent fevers. Ripe fruits are antiscorbutic, useful in bilious complaints and revealed cytotoxic activity in its fat-soluble

fraction.

3. Cerbera manghas Linn. (C. odollum Gaertn, Odollum)

This is a small laticiferous tree, a native of tropical Asia.

All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides.

The stem contains neriifolin, seven glycosides based on digitoxigenin, two glycosides based on tanghmigenin and one based on oleagenin and free tanghinigenin.

Also present are lignans, (-)- olivil, (+)-cyclo olivil, 5,5’’’-bis-olivil and similar dimers. Iridoids such as 10- and 11- carboxy carbinal also are isolated from the stem bark.

The leaves are found tocontain cerleaside A and B as the major cardenolides, and 5 glycosides of digitoxigenin, 5 of tanghinigenin, neriifolin, thevetin B, thevoside and thevirioside as minor components.

The bark and leaves are cathartic and emetic.

Seeds are fish poisons.

Seed oil is used as hair oil and as a rubefacient to cure cold.

4. Holarrhena pubescens Wall. ( H. antidysenterica DC.-Kurchi, Holarrhena)

Bark and seeds of this native tree of India are used in dropsy and dysentery (conessine is the antidysenteric principle), stomach disorders, abdominal and glandular tumours. Fruits are

anticancerous and hypoglycemic and used to regulate menstruation.

Bark contains steroidal alkaloids (upto2.5%) such as conessine (up to 0.2%), 7--hydroxy conessine, holonamine, dihydroisoconessimine, 3-aminoconan-5-ene and kurcholessine. Seeds also contain a good amount of conessine.

5. Ichnocarpus frutescens R.Br. (Sariva, Ichnocarpus)

Stem contains friedlin, friedelinol, lupeol acetate, 12-dehydrolupeol,

12 dehydrolupanyl, oleanolic acid, sitosterol and amyringlycoside.

The roots are used as Sariva ( in place of Hemidesmus). Various plant parts are used in night blindness, bleeding of gums, and enlargement of spleen, atrophy,

smallpox, ulcer, dysentery, cough and asthma.

It is also used in abdominal andglandular tumours.

6. Nerium oleander Linn. (Nerium indicum Miller, N. odorum Soland.- Oleander)

The bark yields a number of cardiac glycosides designated as odoroside A,B,D,F,G,H,K-M and odorobioside K based on digitoxigenin (odoroside A,D,F,G &H), uzarigenin (odoroside B,K and odorobioside K) and 16-anhydrodigitoxigenin (odoroside L &

M).

The root, the official drug, is considered highly toxic, but in controlled doses it is a cardiotonic.

It is anthelmintic, diaphoretic, carminative and used for ulcers, leprosy and skin diseases.

Leaves and roots, as an external paste, is useful in leprosy and snake bites.

Leaf juice is useful in ophthalmia and in improving eye sight.

7. Rauwolfia serpentina Benth (Sarpagandha, Rauwolfia)

The dried roots and underground portions of the stem of this shrub, a native of India, is the drug sarpagandha.

The roots yield about 0.7-1.5% alkaloids consisting of at least 50 compounds.

The principal alkaloids are reserpine, rescinnamine, deserpidine, ajamalicine, tetrahydroreserpine, raubasine, reserpinine, serpentine, serpentinine and alstonine. Onlyreserpine – rescinnamine group of alkaloids are therapeutically important.

They exhibit anantihypertensive and tranquilizing action Reserpine is used effectively against hypertension.

The sarpagandha root is used in cases of high blood pressure, insanity and schizophrenia.

The related species yielding the above mentioned alkaloids are:

(1) R. vomitoria Afzel (oftropical Africa)

(2) R. tetraphylla, Linn. (of India, containing more of deserpidine, which possesses the same activity of reserpine but without the side effects).

8. Strophanthus kombe Oliv., S. hispidus DC (Strophanthus)

The seeds of these tall shrubs, native to Africa, provide the drug Strophanthus.

The dry seeds yield about 8-10% Strophanthin or K-Strophanthin, a mixture of more than 10 glycosides.

The chief constituent is K-strophanthoside (Strophoside), a triglycoside consisting of the genin,strophanthidin, cymarose and 2 molecules of glucose. Two other major glycosides are cymarin

and K-strophanthoside B.

The other constituents of the seed are about 30% fixed oil, nitrogenous bases like trigonelline and choline, resin and mucilage.

Strophanthus is the cardiotonic drug preferred to Digitalis in Europe.

The seeds of Strophanthus gratus Oliv., a native of Africa, provide another cardiotonic drug Ouabain (g-strophanthin), a rhamnoside of ouabagenin.

One of the most rapidly acting cardenolide, ouabain is obtained from the wood of Acokanthera sp. also.

9. Tabernaemontana divaricata Roem. & Schult. (T. coronaria Willd.,

Ervatamia divaricata Burkill.- Nandyavartah/ Tagar.)

This plant is a laticiferous shrub of North India.

The flowers and flower buds are useful in treating eye and skin diseases.

The roots are anthelmintic, anodyne, tonic and rheumatism. Latex is used for wound healing

10. Thevetia peruviana Merril (T. neriifolia Juss.- Ashvaghna, Yellow oleander)

All parts of the plant contain cardiac glycosides;

Seeds being the richest source of these compounds (containing up

to 7 times) than the other parts. The various compounds isolated are cereberoside (thevetin B), 2’-O-acetyl cereberoside and neriifolin, 2’-O-neriifolin (cerberin) all based on the genin, digitoxigenin; thevetin A (19-oxocerberoside) and peruvoside (19-

oxonerifolin), both based on cannogenin; thevenerrin (19-oxyneriifolin-based on cannogenol) and peruvosidic acid (based on cannogenic acid.).

Bark is found to contain neriifolin and peruvoside along with lupeol acetate.

Roots yield thevetin and

neriifolin.

All the glycosides are used as cardiotonics, the most preferred ones being peruvoside and thevetin.

Bark is a bitter cathartic and emetic.

Leaves also are purgative and emetic.

Seeds are used as an abortifacient and as a purgative in rheumatism and

dropsy.

11. Wrightia arborea Mabb. (W. tomentosa Roem. & Shult-Kutaja, Pala Indigo plant)

The root bark and seeds of this deciduous tree of India, often substituted for Holarrhena, are used for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery.

Other uses include curing piles, hemorrhage, cardiac

diseases, fever and colic.

It contains alkaloids, conessine, holarrhine, kurchicine and conkurchine.

Also present are -sitosterol, lupeol and -amyrin. Seeds yield an oil similar to that of Holarrhena.

In Sidha system this drug is used for psoriasis and other skin diseases.

The leaves used as a pot-herb, show analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic properties.

Leaves yield a blue dye used for dyeing clothes.

W. tinctoria R.Br is a related tree used as a substitute for Holarrhena.

Its bark is poor in alkaloids but contains -amyrin, lupeol, -sitosterol, -amyrin, ursolic acid and oleanolic acid.

12. Allamanda cathartica Linn. (Campanilla)

A native of S. America, A. cathartica is a tall shrub is generally grown in gardens for the beautiful flowers.

The leaves contain triterpene esters, plumericin, isoplumericin, plumieride,

ursolic acid, -amyrin and -sitosterol.

The stem also contains most of these compounds.

The roots contain an iridoid lactone allamandin, allamandicin, allamandin and triterpene lactones

such as fluvoplumeirin, plumericin, isoplumericin and plumieride as well as lupeol and fatty alcohols and fatty acids. The leaves are used as cathartics.

The extracts of roots and leaves cause hypotension in male cats. The bark is useful as a hydrogogue in ascitis. Allamandin

exhibit anti-leukemic properties.

13. Alstonia scholaris R. Br. (Saptaparni, Dita bark tree)

The stem bark, which is used as an astringent, anthelmintic and antiperiodic drug contains alkaloids (upto 2.7%) with echitamine as the major component and echitamidine, tubotaiwine, picrinine, akuammidine,ditamine and echitenine as minor components.

Almost all parts of the plant are used in medicine.

Bark is. It is used against chronic diarrhoea, dysentery and bowel complaints.

Echitamine and also the total alkaloids cause a sharp fall in blood pressure and are hypotensives.

These compounds are found to be active against human sarcoma.

Leaves are used against

beriberi, congestion of liver, dropsy and ulcers.

Latex is useful as an application for ulcers, sores, and tumours and in rheumatic pain.

B. Biopesticides

1. Catharanthus roseus G. Don

The alkaloids showed sterilant activity on Dysdercus cingulatus Fabr., (the red cotton bug) and are considered useful for sterilising male population. Alcoholic extract of the shoot showed larvicidal activity against the mosquito Aedes aegypti Linn. at 1000 ppm after 7 days.

Different bioactivities such as antifungal and molluscicidal have also been exhibited by the extracts of this plant

2. Haplophyton cimicidum A. DC. (Arizona cockroach plant)

This is a small shrub of 1m high, a native of Arizona.

The plant contains dimeric indole alkaloids such as haplophytine and cimicidophytine and aspidospermine alkaloids, haplocine

and haplocidine.

The latex of the plant mixed with molasses is used as a cockroach poison.

As a lotion or infusion, latex is used to repel mosquitoes or fleas.

The alkaloids are found to be the

active insecticidal compounds.

3. Plumeria rubra Linn.(Frangipani)

This native of Mexico is a soft-stemmed laticiferous tree, widely cultivated near temples in India.

The bark contains iridoids such as plumericin 1, isoplumericin2 and plumieride, acetophenone etc.

The extracts of the leaves and bark of this plant were found to cause 100% mortality to Meloidogyne javanica within 12 hours (Ahmed et al., 1990). Plumericin and isoplumericin are found molluscidal and antibacterial. Plumericin and plumieride are algicidaltoo.

C. Natural Dyes

1. Holarrhena pubescens Wall. (H. antidysenterica DC.-Kurchi, Holarrhena)

This is a small tree native to India. Leaves yield a dye similar to indigo.

2. Wrightia arborea Mabb. (W. tomentosa Roem. & Shult. Kutaja, Pala Indigo)

Kutaja is a small deciduous tree common in deciduous forest of India and nearby countries.

Leaves yield a blue dye used for dyeing clothes.

The yellow latex, on dilution with water, yields a yellow dye, which is used for dyeing cotton.

The root bark and seeds, often substituted for Holarrhena, are used for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery.

Other uses include curing piles, hemorrhage, cardiac diseases, fever and colic.

W. tinctoria R.Br is a related tree used as a substitute.

The leaves are source of indigo, a blue dye named Mysore Pala Indigo.

Seeds are used as an adjuvant to dyeing materials.